For free activities across the county, we've got you covered. We've listed the best of what's on in Durham that won't cost you a penny - and there are some absolute gems this week.
There are usually events and activities going on in the city and across the county that won't end up with you putting your hand in your pocket. Take a look below at the best free events this week, June 24-30 2019.
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#1: Cricket World Cup fan zone, Durham city centre
The 2019 Cricket World Cup lands in Durham from Friday to Sunday June 28-30. A city centre fan zone will be constructed in Millennium Place and the Durham Marketplace. The Durham cricket fan zone will be showing matches, as well as hosting cricket activities, food stalls, music and entertainment. We've got all the details in our Cricket World Cup Durham fanzone story.
#2: Durham Castle Summer Family Fun Day, Durham city centre
The Durham Castle Summer Family Fun Day takes place on Sunday June 30 and has a circus-theme. The Durham Castle Fun Day is run by Castle Community Action (CCA) and Durham Castle Museum.
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There'll be a bouncy castle, family fun tours, balloon modelling, circus-themed crafts. You can sign up for a Family Fun Durham Castle Tour on arrival. For more information contact 0191 334 2932 or email castle.tours@durham.ac.uk
It runs from 11am to 4pm and you'll need to book tickets from the booking website.
#3: Cake as Art, Ustinov College Durham
Get involved in this art project by decorating cakes and using them to construct a painting. Afterwards, the collective effort of the mosaic-like painting will be posted on Twitter via #SummerinTheCity to decide whether it's art or not.
Cake as Art? with Ladan Cockshut takes place on Wednesday June 26 between 3-7pm, in the community room of Ustinov College. It should take about 20-30 minutes for each participant. For more information phone 0191 334 5694.
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#4: Acoustic Cafe, Witham Arts Centre Barnard Castle
The Acoustic Cafe gives local musicians the chance to play on the balcony in the cafe. This month features local band Gedenforde. The Witham Acoustic Cafe is on Saturday June 29 at 2pm and is free entry.
#5: Hefted To Hill, Stanhope
This art exhibition in St Thomas Church Stanhope (on Stanhope High Street, postcode DL13 2UP) features the voices and images of local hill farmers. The exhibition is the culmination of a year-long project run by Northern Heartlands - the Durham Great Place Scheme.
Sculptor and philosopher Ewan Allinson and photographers Louise Taylor and Richard Glynn have worked with seven hill farmers to capture in words and pictures their thoughts and responses to their landscape.
Hefted To Hill begins on Saturday June 29 and runs for a month, opening every day 10am to 5pm.
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#6: We need more butterflies, Palace Green Library
Join artist Marian in making an art project with mini butterflies from recycled paper, and get a sachet of free wild butterfly seeds to grow butterfly-friendly flowers. We need more butterflies is on Saturday June 29 from 10am to 12pm and is free entry. For more information contact the Palace Green Library learning centre on 0191 334 2993.
#7: Armed Forces Day Celebration, Peterlee
On Saturday June 29 head to Helford Road Playing Fields in Peterlee for a free Armed Forces Day Celebration. It runs from 10.30am to 5pm and will have entertainment and displays.
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#8: Art workshop, Durham Oriental Museum
Join artists Betty Barnett Brown to study some of the examples of animals in the collection at the Durham Oriental Museum and explore the natures of these creatures by creating collage images. Materials are provided but booking is necessary, on 0191 334 5694. The Durham Oriental Museum art workshop takes place on Sunday June 30 from 2-4pm.
#9: Allotment workshops, Bishop Auckland
Learn about planting vegetables and horticulture skills at these drop in sessions. Part of Incredible Edible Bishop Auckland and in collaboration with Cultivate4Life, you can drop in to Woodhouse Close Allotment in Bishop Auckland (postcode DL14 6QH) on Tuesday June 25 and every subsequent Tuesday at 9.30-11am or 3.30-4.30pm. No experience is necessary and it's family friendly.
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#10: Norman Cornish - The Portraits
The Gala Gallery in Durham Gala Theatre is hosting an exhibition of Norman Cornish portraits, starting on Sunday June 30 and running until September 1. The opening times are 10am to 8.30pm Monday to Saturday and 2.30-8.30pm on Sundays. The exhibition features self-portraits from throughout Norman Cornish's career showing his stylistic development as well as insights into the man himself, alongside informal images of his family and more formally commissioned portraits and sketches of local characters.
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Want to have your event listed for free? Contact ExplorAR on hello@explorar.co.uk